The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-02-18

long ez he looks ut me with them biy lpitiful
eyes o. his'n. They 20 right ter riy Acart."
"Youu better shoot him." urgI Aunt
Debby. "Hit's sin ter let an inneNcnt crit
ter suffer thet away"
Fortncr raised his rifle, and sent I bullet
through the manGled brute's brain.
Aunt Dcbby's eyes became fixed Cd point
where, milo away down tho mountain, q
bend in tho road was visible through an
opening in the trees.
"Look out" she said, as the echoes of the
shot died away; "thar comes hull lot
on EN-"
They looked, and saw plainly large squad
of cavalry, with wagon behind.
ave must got outcn heah, an tibet quick, +"
said Fortner, decisively. He caught ono Of
the horses, and shortened stirrup to make
tho saddle answer for side saddle "Heah,
Aunt Debby, let mo help ye up honey. Now
Bolton and Edwards, I'll help ye on these ere
other critters Now skcet out ez fast ez the
bosses legs will tote We. Don't spar 'em a
mite. Them fellers'll gin 70 the DEVILS own
chase ez soon ez they git heah an see what's
bin done. Glen and NELL go acrost the
mounting, an head 'em Off on tother side.
Don't come back Of We heah shootin', but keep
straight on, fur we kin take keer O this crowd
without emmy help. Glen, you sasshay up the
mounting thar ez fast ez the Lord'll let We.
I'll be arter We right spry."
All sped away as directed. Fortner had
been loading his gun while speaking He now
rammed the bullet home, and withdrawing
his rammer walked over to the cliff beside
which the teamster was covering.
20, Mister Fortner, don't kill mc-please
don't" whined the luckless man, getting
awkwardly upon his knees and raising his
hands imploringly. II swar to God I'll never
raise hand agin Union man aein eff yell
only spar my life"
"Kill ye, Pete Hoskins' said Fortner, with
unfathomable contempt. "What consete ye
hev ter think yer wuth the powder an lead.
l hain't no bullets ter waste on carron"
He struck the abject fellow couple of
singing blows on the face with the ramrod,
replaced it in the thimbles, and sprang up the
rocks just as the head of the cavalry appeared
around the bend of the road few rods away.
Overtaking Harry shortly, be heard about
the same time the Confederates On the road
below strike into trot
"They know hit all now" he said, "an' hev
started in chase. Let's jog on Ii, Ny, an get
ter whar we kin head em off,
Night had fallen in the meantime but the
full moon had risen Immediately making it
almost as light as day.
After half an hours fast walking. the two
Unionists had cut across the long horseshoe
around which the Confederates we're travel
ing, and had come down much ahead of them
on tho other side Of the mountain, and just
where the road led up the steep ascent of
another mountain
There was loneliness about the spot that
was terrible. Over it hung the 'thought and
deadly feel of solitude" The only break for
miles in the primeval forest was tina. made
for the narrow road. House or cabin there
was none in all the gloomy reaches of rocks
and gnarled trees 1t was too inhospitable
region to tempt even the widest squatter.
The flood of moonlight made the desolation
more oppressive than ever by making palpa-
BILE and suggestive the inky abyses under the
trees and in the thickets.>
Fortner looked up the road " his right and
listened intently.
A waterfall mumbled somewhere in the
neighborhood. The pines and hemlocks near
the summit sighed drearily. A gray fox,
which had probably just upped off pleas
ant, sat on q log and BARI d out his gluttonous
satisfaction. A yildcat asA yet. supperless,
screamed its envy Iirom cHtNhalf AZ mile
away
II can't hcah anything of Aunt Debby an
the Others said Fortner, at length; $50
reckon they're clean over the mounting, an
bout safe by this time. Them beasts are
purity good travellers, l imagine, an they
haint let no grass grow in under Their hufs."
"But the Confcderates arc coming, hand
over hand" said Harry. who had been
watching to the left and listening. II hear
them now quite plainly. Yes, there they
are," he continued, as two or three galloped
around turn in the road, followed at
little interval by others.
The metallic clang of the rapid hoof beats
on the rocks rang through the somber aisles
of the forest. Noisy fox and antiphonal wild
cat stopped to listen to this invasion Of sound.
"Quick! let's get in cover" said Fortner.
"Yo make fur tibet rock up thar" said
Fortner to Harry, pointing to spot several
hundred yards above them, land stay there
tell come. Keep close in the shadder, SOS
they won't see ye."
ut seems to me that ought to stay with
you," said Harry, indecisively.
"No; go. Ye can't do no good heah. Ones
better nor two. Ill be up thar soon Go,
quick"
There was no time for debate, and Harry
did as hidden.
Fortner stepped into the inky shadow of a
large rock, against which he leaned The great
broad face Of the rock, gray from its cover
ing of minute ash-colored lichens, was toward
the pulsuers, and shone white as marble in
the flood Of moonlight. The darkness seemed
banked up around him, but within his arms
length it was as light as day. The long rifle
barrel reached from the darkness into the
light, past the corner Of the rock against
which it rested The bright rays made the
little "bead" near the muzzle CLEAN like dia-
mond, and lighted up the slit as fine as hair
in the hindsight Three little clicks, as if of
twigs breaking underIl rabbits foot, told that
the triggers had bed set and the hammer
raised.
The horsemen, much scattered by the pur-
suit, clattered onward In ones and twos,
with wide intervals between, they reached
along half mile of the road. Two-the best
mounted-rode together at the head. Two
hundred yards below the great white rock,
which shonc as innocent and kindly as fleecy
summer cloud, a broad rivulet wound its way
toward the neighboring creek. The blown
horses scented the grateful water, and checked
down to drink of it. The right hand rider
loosened his bride that his steed might crafty